Fate Worse Than Death
by Ai Ga Hoshii Dake
Summary: Two figures in robes have settled on a solution to aid Sanji and Zolo's constant bickering.
1. Errand Boys

(Ever since I removed the humor genre from my other One Piece fanfic (because the main plot isn't so much of a funny one) I instantly got an idea for a new fanfic revolving around our two favorite manly men. Phew. I got chapter three up to Legend of Kosuki, did a Phoenix Wright one shot, and now I'm putting up the starting chapter for a new fic.

I have way too much time on my hands.

It's gonna end soon though, my vacation ends today and tomorrow begins a brand new week of school. Math state tests are coming up, so no doubt I'll be swamped with math homework, ugh.

Okay, well obviously I don't own One Piece, and I'm keeping Zoro as Zolo.)

* * *

"Sanji, Zolo, could you come here for a second?" Nami cooed. The men, well, _one_ atleast, trudged into the kitchen while the other one, _well_, flew. "What is it Nami?" Zolo asked, a nursing hand going to his head. Nami scowled at his action. "If you wouldn't drink so much you would get hangovers like that," she lectured. "Yeah thanks Mom, I'll be sure to remember," Zolo grunted, and plopped himself in a chair across from the red head at the table. Sanji, being the kiss-ass that he is, stood right next to her.

"What can I get you darling?" Sanji coaxed. Nami unfolded a piece of paper and smoothed it out on the table. "Well, seeing as I can't leave the ship, I need you guys to do some shopping for me," she explained. She nudged her head in the direction of her ankle which was wrapped tightly and set on the chair. A storm had blown the ship off course, and had blown their navigator off her feet and directly into the mast. This left Nami with a sprained ankle and an order to wear strapless shirts until the bruise on her upper back cleared. Pshaw, Sanji sure wasn't complaining. Neither was Zolo, but like hell if he'd ever admit it.

Zolo rolled his eyes and put up defense. "Why not Usopp?" he asked. Nami raised a questioning eyebrow at him. "Usopp? Shopping? In a town full of gangs? Hell no." "Okay, then what about Chopper?" Nami pointed to her broken ankle. Zolo grunted at his last retorting response. "Luffy?" he asked.

Nami paused for a moment, and Zolo smirked. _Score..._

"He'd go into town for my things and come back in five minutes with two full sacks of raw steak," she replied. Zolo bit his lip, he couldn't argue there. Sanji gave his winning grin and gently rubbed Nami's shoulders. "Rest assured Nami dearest, I, Sanji will fetch your things for you! Simply promise me to rest that ankle!" he cooed. Nami giggled, nodded, and handed him a small pouch of money. He danced out the door in happiness, **OmgNamiTouchedHisHaaaaaand**.

Zolo snorted at his shopping companion, then averted his gaze to Nami. "Do you enjoy torturing me?" he asked calmly. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in a pout. "If I were to just send Sanji he'd get all my stuff in two seconds then follow around girls for hours," she replied, and slid another pouch of cash towords him along with the list. "I'll deduct twenty thousand from your debt," and the swordsman was instantly out the door.

She made sure he was off the deck after Sanji before letting out a laugh. "Yeah freakin' right," she chuckled.

* * *

The pair stepped before a small trinket shop before consulting the list. "Two bottles of...ink," Sanji read, and walked inside with Zolo close behind. They stumbled around the store for atleast fifteen minutes before finding some ink. "Got it," Zolo said, reaching to grab two at once. Sanji, however, was too busy saying the same thing, and knocked hands together. Three bottles crashed and stained the floor. "Freakin' idiot, I **said** I would get it!" Zolo bellowed. "Well if that green hair dye hadn't seeped to whatever is **left** of your brain, you would have heard me saying the same thing!" Sanji growled back. "Oh suck it up Lovecook, don't you have some girl to flirt with? The only reason Nami sent me was to keep you on track!" he snarled. "Oh please, I'm obviously here to babysit your incompetent ass!"

"BOEEZZZ!" a voice screeched. The men couldn't help but blink.

Sanji and Zolo turned to a man half their height. Yet what he lacked in height, the guy made up for in mustache thickness. The thing pretty much swallowed his face and glasses. "I veel not ave yew shahhowting een mah shoppe!" he squeaked. Blink blink, still nothing. Sanji decided to step foward to calm the smallish clerk. "Listen sir, I'm gonna apologize on behalf of my incompetent friend, We're here on buis--"

"The **HELL** did you call me Lovecook?"

"Shut up I'm trying to **SAVE** our asses!"

"**EDGAR!"**

The boys blinked at eachother. "Edgar?" they repeated in unison. They suddenly found themself eating dirt outside the shop.

"Well THAT was successful," Sanji grumbled, his voice oozing sarcasm. He stood up and brushed off his coat, while Zolo stood up with a death glare. He said nothing, but Sanji decided to act first. "Listen cabbage cranium. YOU had to knock my hand and start everything to get us kicked out. And NOW, we can't get ink," he growled, Zolo closed his eyes and held up three bottles of ink in a calm fashion. Sanji could only blink before leading his companion away from the door, so not to be overheard, before restarting his rant.

"You IDIOT. You STOLE them? You're such a dirty bastard!"

"Don't yell at me, they're free aren't they? Atleast Nami gets one more bottle and won't kill us for getting kicked out of a store."

"That's not the POINT Marimo!"

"Then why don't you explain it you Fish-Filleting Kamikaze?"

And so their bickering continued, how breathtaking. A few kids even cried, seeing as they were in public. Little did they know that their argument was the subject of two figures in robes resting in an alley.

"Should it be them? I mean we were going to aid the Yurigo brothers but they..."

"Indeed, the Yurigoes can always be scolded by mouth and not actions. Either that or we can use something else"

The figure handed it's companion's a small white tag with an incantation on it while the figure held up their own. They nodded to eachother and set off in different directions, one following Zolo and the other following Sanji.

* * *

The faintest sound of rusty wheels began to slowly tick in a turning notion...

-yawn-

Okay, time for bed. R&R

-AGHD


	2. Encounters

Sorry for the delay, its hard to think about writing when in school. x3

Unless in English class, but of course we're not writing fanfics, we're writing essays on why we read some poems. JOYNESS.

Arigatou for the review, Emiliana, it made me all giggly. x3 First review ever on this site. Hope I don't dissapoint.

I'm just gonna try to set the plot in motion here, and because I've got stuff to do tonight I might not finish in one night.

I don't own One Piece...-sob-

* * *

Zolo's eyebrow twitched. It wasn't because he got stares from buying this orange-y fruit-y muck-y crap in a bottle that Nami obviously rubs into her head. Then he had to get some _green_ soap. "Who the hell makes **green** soap?" he felt like roaring, but remained calm under the watchful eye of the fat counter lady. He grabbed the items and let them drop on the counter, trying to show off his impatience. The lady grumbled and snatched a list from the drawer. Her eyes scanned over it, _slowly_. Prices. Her fat lips seemed to caught in a time warp as she mouthed the words to herself. Zolo was on the freakin' verge of screaming.

(A/N: I actually have green soap and it smells yummy )

After maybe an hour or so, Zolo stomped out of the store with products in a bag and down the dirt path, not bothering to let the door close gently. He was pretty pissed off, because he didn't notice a cloaked figure walking towords him. The figure smirked and walked a bit faster.

"Oaf!"

"**WHAT THE HELL?!"**

The two sat on the ground under some glares, but they were soon turned away. Zolo shot up and snatched up his bags, his gaze softening when he saw the person he bumped into was a woman. He ran a hand through his hair and then held it out. Her eyes were hidden by the red velvet hood, but her small smile was shown as she took his strong hand in hers. A strand of purple fell before her visible face as she spoke. "Thank you sir, I'm very sorry for not watching where I was going," she apologized. She interlocked her fingers, hiding them in the security of her pouchy sleeves. She secretly fingered a small piece of paper.

Zolo scratched his head, in response. "Its okay, I had my head down anyway," he mumbled, and brushed past her. She gave a small smile. _You're not getting away that fast Zolo._

She turned on her heel and began to follow him. He hinted a get lost, but she ignored it. He finally stopped and turned around to face her, arms crossed. "May I help you?" he asked a bit annoyed. The girl held a hand to her heart, the other concealing the paper in her fist. "Oh, I'm sorry I was just confirming a hunch. So you _are _him," she explained. Zolo lifted an eyebrow trying to act as if nothing was up. _Crap she knows I'm a pirate...Zolo no less..._

"You were that man having a loud spat with that blonde gentleman," she assured him. He almost sighed in relief, but she had mentioned Sanji, so he cringed. "Oh...well...you see..."

"Are you not friends with this man? You did emerge from the same ship as I noticed," she questioned. Zolo closed his eyes and huffed. "It was just an argument. I believe you should mind your own buisness," he stated simply, and began to walk away. The girl could only smirk at his predicted action. "Zolo, I believe you should be ashamed of yourself."

He froze and almost creaked as he turned. "How do you know my name?"

_I'm so good at this_, she happily thought, but only smiled. "The same way I know you get into many fights with Sanji. You should both learn to hold your tempers, especially in public places," she taunted. Okay, **_now_** he was pissed off.

_Zolo, go get me my girly things!_

_Zolo go get into a fight with the crew's chef in front of everyone!_

_Zolo go find out you have some cloaked stalker!_

_The hell is wrong with my life...?_

He romped over and caught her by the wrist. "Tell me who you are. Now," he snarled. She pulled back. She wanted to grin, but she knew he'd probably break her neck. She pressed her lips together trying to come up with an excuse. "I was walking by your ship and I heard the names being shouted loudly...I...I just wanted to make sure you hadn't done something...I just wanted to help. You seemed so angry," she surmised. Well, halfway atleast.

He softened his grip and exhaled loudly through his nostrils. "I appriciate it but you should learn to mind your own buisness. It'll get you in a jam one day," he lectured and turned to walk away. She simply stood, releasing her grin only when his back was to her and he was walking away.

_Everyone says so...and yet its never happened once, _she giggily thought watching the small slip of paper she once held slip deeper into the man's pocket.

"Well, time to go see if Celia has finished up yet," she whispered to no one, and dissapeared into a crowd of shoppers.

* * *

Sanji didn't even _dare_ to enter the store behind him. His brain as still trying to process the words Nami had ever-so-neatly printed onto the paper. He wasn't sure what she meant _exactly_, but something in his gut told him it wouldn't be good.

"I really should have asked her what a tampon was..." he muttered.

(A/N: A classic dilema for any male character. I doubt they had tampons back them but its my fanfic. 8D)

He swallowed his pride in a swift gulp and strode into the store. He browsed up and down each aisle until he saw an assortment of small boxes. Some read 'Pads' and some read 'Tampons'.

"She said tampons but didn't say what kind...dammit," he grumbled. His finger tapped each box until he found a box reading the tampon label, he personally liked the decorative box. He cradled it in his hands and read the back. With each sentence (A/N: details spared for male readers) his face became more contorted with digust until finally a slim clerk lady approached him. "Um, can I help you...?" she asked. Sanji turned, obviously embarassed. "My friend...a girl...she needs these..." he managed to get out. If he wasn't so embarassed, he probably would've tried his hand at winning the girl's heart. But when you're standing in a deparment store holding a box of tampons and you're the only guy in the store, you'd have to be a freaking mutant to not feel the pressure rising. No pun intended.

She nodded and took two boxes off the shelf and quickly rang them up. He sighed in relief and dumped them in the bag. The minute he stepped out, Sanji had returned.

"OHHH NAMI DARLING! I have gotten your tam-- err...PRODUCTS that you have blessed me with the opporotunity to fetch for yyyooouuu!" he sang as he marched/skipped down the street.

The hooded figure could only stare from behind a tall plant set at the store entrance. _And I'm stuck with him..._

The figure sighed, knowing he had to do this, and followed the boy. The spazstic man before him paid no mind to a mysterious cloaked figure behind him, and it was pretty pathetic that everyone else was. He grumbled, time for a new plan. He stepped to the side and began to jog foward. "Myra!" he called out, just blurting out a random name. He bumped into Sanji's shoulder, and did a fake stumble. Sanji recovered from his own stumble and clutched his bags tightly, careful not to damage his beautiful navigator's products. "Sorry!" the figure apologized approaching Sanji. Sanji brushed himself off and smiled, "Oh its nothing," he replied, yet his smile decreased when he saw the figure to be a man.

_Damn._

"Oh! You're the gentleman from before," the figure mumbled, trying to sound discreet about it. Truthfull he wanted to laugh, but knowing he'd just piss of his partner and the blonde man. Sanji cocked his head in a questioning notion. "I mean, were you not the man who was arguing outside of the trinket shop? I believe your counterpartner was green haired, of the brute nature?" he asked, holding his hands out in a peace offering.

Sanji squirmed beneathe his gaze, though he couldn't see his eyes. "Yeah I guess we were a bit loud on that, sorry if we disturbed anything," he apologized, holding his hands up in the same gesture. The man put his down and smiled. "I hear ya, me and my sister always get into arguments. But the thing is, I think you _did_ disturb some," he said. Sanji gave a sorrowful gaze. It was hard enough keeping a low profile on the island, so not to be discovered and be turned in for bounty, but he didn't really mean to cause a disturbance. He was a man of gentle stature, just not to that bloody swordsman.

"Eh sorry, y'know I just had to deal with that idiot before. He gets us into the stupidest situations," he lied. The man strengthened his gaze, Sanji could tell even though his eyes were concealed by a shadow. "Sanji, you should treat your friends better. If he came off the same ship, you two are, no doubt, of the same crew, correct?" he asked. Sanji stepped back. "How did you..." was all he could croak. _Gay stalker...?_

The cloaked figure resisted a smile, though it was tempting. "Temper is a tricky little thing, is it not Sanji? A gentleman like you should know better," he whispered, and brushed past him, and dissapeared into a crowd of shoppers. Sanji turned and stood in confusion. _Crap, if that guy blows our cover Zolo will never let me live it down..._

He bushed the experience off and found the nearest bookstore, not noticing a small piece of paper that slowly began to sink deeper into his pocket.

* * *

Okay, I was gonna make this two seperate chapters for each character, but that meant each encounter would have had to last longer. I made it one chapter just to get the wheels turning more.

R&R

-AGHD


	3. Anxious Feelings

Third chapter, hope I don't dissapoint.

I don't own One Piece.

* * *

"I almost had my neck broken, you?" one asked.

He scratched his hood. "I was kinda blunt, but I got away clean. He seems kind of spazzy when he's not fighting with the green-haired one. The tag was supposed to go in his pocket right?"

The other figure nodded. "As long as the tags stay in contact with them, it should work by midnight." He scowled. "What if they change?" he asked. She shook her head. "The Zolo fellow seemed gruff and stubborn, he also kind of smelled. He probably won't change." The figure nodded. "Sanji seemed...scatterbrained of sorts. I do hope it works though, we'd get fried if we wasted those tags," he sighed., remembering the last plan that didn't work out so well.

"We could always hunt down some more, he doesn't have to know we never used the tags on the Yurigo brothers."

The boy sighed and pulled down his hood, scratching his face. "I hate these things," he grumbled. He sat hunched in the arm chair, eyes set on the glow of their fireplace. His eyes then went to the clock. "Three hours until we activate the tags," he mumbled. She nodded and pressed her lips together, pulling down her hood as well. "What are we gonna use to discipline the Yurigo brothers now?"

He regained his posture and sat back in the chair. He crossed his legs and interlocked his fingers. "Mursigo powder?" he thought aloud. She shook her head. "Last time we did that we turned three sisters into fish. I'd rather not take that chance again." He nodded grimly and closed his eyes. He regretted ever agreeing to this idea of 'aiding the common man' or whatever. He always fell for his sister's schemes.

He opened one eye to the girl, who was now nibbling on a rice ball. "What if they find us out? I mean first you run into the only two cloaked figures on the island who are acting all suspicious and start preaching about their tempers. Next they fall asleep, get all warm, and then they--"

She held up a hand, cutting off his sentence. She held it there for a bit as she swallowed her food. "All we have to do is lay low while they're under the spell, its not like anyone knows where we are now," she reminded him. He opened both eyes and scowled. "But how are we going to give the instructions to _break_ the spell? We'd obviously get caught doing so," he told her. She swallowed the last bit of rice and scowled. "What if we paid some village kid?" she pondered aloud, obviously the two had a habit of doing so. He nibbled at his lip and crooked his head upwards, as if in thought. "We'd need a smart one, and by the look of this town I'd say the chances of finding one are seriously slim. We'd be better off strapping instructions to some bird and throwing it down," he grumbled. She snapped in glee. "That's what we should do! I'll go shoot down some seagull tomorrow and we'll use its corpse to transport the instructions!" His brother made a sick face. He wasn't keen with dead things, no matter how good he was at keeping a stoic face when he passed jail cells filled with dead corpses and beasts inside back at the office. His sister tossed the box that once contained a heap of onigiri into the trash. He wondered how she kept such a small physique during her binges. Or maybe it was that time of the month.

(A/N: I'm pretty sure that onigiri is just the Japanese word for rice balls. It was used in the 2nd episode of One Piece in Japanese. I remember Suzume and Ayame dancing around saying it as they ate rice balls with Kaoru and Kenshin in R.K)

"Come Celia," the girl demanded, her voice still sounding a bit bubbly. "We should prepare."

She dissapeared down a corridor. The boy grumbled and emptied the buck over the fire, the fire hissing under the water. He trudged after her.

"Dammit Kara...my name's not Celia."

* * *

The feast had ended surprisingly late. The soft clinking of Usopp and Sanji washing dishes inside the galley softly rang through his ears as he sat hunched in the crow's nest. It was a bit cold, but he didn't mind. He ran a finger through his hair and sat back, finger twitching around his hat on his lap. The stars seemed to shine brightly over the ship. The food in his stomach rocked along with the waves. He was full, but when wasn't he after dinner?

"Luffy, go to bed. It's my night on watch," a gruff voice adressed him. Luffy turned his head to see Zolo gripping the ladder to the crow's nest. He only stared. "'Kay Zoro, don't catch a cold!" he giggled. He stood up and slapped his hat on. He jumped off, landing with a big screech. Zolo blinked at his captain, and shrugged the experience off. He climbed into the crow's nest and leaned back against the wood. He saw why Luffy was so interested in the sky. The stars _were_ kind of pretty.

But its not like Zolo would ever admit that. Not the manly demon swordsman, hell no.

He closed his eyes, hands cupping the back of his head. He couldn't get his mind off that girl. Why the hell was she butting in? Its not like it affected her wether him and that lovestricken moron fought. But something irked him when he left. He heard a paper rustle, and she said something about some girl named Celia.

He didn't give it a second thought. He was tired after running around for that witch all day. His legs felt like jelly, and he had the biggest migrane ever. The girl even made _him_ organize all her crap. She said she deducted off his debt, but he sure as hell didn't believe her. Sanji didn't have to organize her things, no he was too busy preparing a giant feast for Luffy and her while the rest got mediocre meals.

How he hated that man. Okay **sure** he was a good battle partner, but how the hell would that work if they both hated eachother's guts? He knew they were getting into more fights lately, and no he couldn't figure out why. But whatever that reason was,

Zolo felt he had good reasons that it wasn't his fault. He nodded approvingly at his logic and closed his eyes. He knew he shouldn't deliberately try to go to sleep, but a _little_ sleep wouldn't hurt. He wanted to calm his nerves anyway.

He felt like something...unusual...would take place.

Usopp yawned, slightly tilting his head back. "I'm headed off to bed Sanji, you should too. The dishes can wait 'til -yawn- the morning," Usopp grumbled, trying to stay awake and keep his tone audible at the same time. He wasn't doing a good job.

Sanji smirked and waved him off towords the male cabins. "I'll be done in a second Usopp, relax." Usopp shook his head but graciously took his offer of going to bed. He gave a limp wave of his hand as a 'Goodnight' and dissapeared to his quarters. Sanji finally let out his bottled yawn and returned to scrubbing the dishes. He looked at the pile and silently cursed his captain, he knew he'd be here for another good half hour. As he took the next plate off the pile he stopped and stared into the plate. Something in his gut began to swirl. Something wasn't right.

He looked over towords the door, Zolo was on watch, right? He set the plate down and wiped the soap suds off his fingers and made his way outside, the cold air greeting him like a slap in the face. He looked up to the crow's nest and saw Zolo's green hair poking out from over the edge. He strained his hearing, and heard faint snoring.

He ambled over to the ladder and slowly began to climb. He towered over the edge on the last stop and stared at him. Whatever he was about to ask Zolo,

he completely forgot.

"IDIOT! You aren't supposed to sleep on watch! I didn't know you were **this** stupid!" he suddenly screamed. Zolo opened one eye groggily, not recognizing the voice. Once he saw the face, both eyes were open and he sat up.

"WHAT THE **HELL**? Humans need sleep Blondie, not my fault I dozed off! Nothing's gonna happen anyway!" he lied. He knew something was going to happen, but him admitting him being wrong in front of _Sanji_ of all people? Like hell he would.

Sanji opened his mouth to retort but Zolo stopped him. "Did you come up here JUST to bug me? Is my sleeping here BOTHERING you some freakin' how?" he shouted.

A sudden breeze blew by, and both Zolo and Sanji felt compelled to look off to the side. Past the many buildings of the town, they noticed many rolling hills.

And yet on top of the largest one in sight, Sanji could've sworn he saw two figures. Zolo could've sworn he saw some kind of circle form above their heads.

What they both knew they saw was a glowing ring on the ground. They heard a zap, and everything went black.

Who knows what the rest of the crew was dreaming about, but they must've been in a serious deep sleep. They never even heard their two male comrades fall from the crow's nest down to the deck below, unconcious and neither breathing.

* * *

I'm gonna stop there just to be mean. Sorta.

I finally finished this chapter, which was harder than I thought. Before I even _considered_ making a fanfic account I'd always be anxious about fanfic chapters. I'd always be (and still kinda am) all mad when the fanfic I was reading had a short chapter. I never knew how hard it was to make a long chapter that seemed slightly appealing to write. Oh well.

I have the math assessment in two hours (our grade goes in later in the day to take the test) so I technically should be getting ready and looking up math topics I don't understand, like probibility and relative error.

But instead I'm gonna put this chapter up so you don't virtually gnaw my head off and work on the next one. If I type fast enough you lovely people just might get two chapters in one day.

R&R

-AGHD


	4. The Ritual

* * *

Fourth chapter, I hope I finish before the math assessment.

Hell I hope I finish by tonight, which might be hard because I have religion tonight.

Oh well.

I **still** don't own One Piece...

-sob-

* * *

"Anything?" she asked.

The boy bit the corner of his lip as he strained his left eye to get a better look through the small telescope. "Just some raven-haired kid in the crow's nest looking at the stars. Probably the deck boy," he muttered. She nodded and looked back down at the large, circular rock she was on. They were amazed to actually find a suitable surface.

The boy closed his telescope and set it gently down on the grass. As soon as he turned to face the large, flat rock he grimaced. The lines of pink paint on the rock were cooked and wavy, and the small pictures were blobbed together from the paint dispersing. He figured his seven-year-old brother back home could do a better job, and he was half blind. He clutched his rough hands into fists trying to keep from screaming and ruining their cover.

"Kara! What the hell is THAT?!" he questioned, pointing a finger to the lines. She looked up innocently, pink splotches on her chin, hands, and as well as the brush she was holding. "The pentacle, duh Celia," she replied sweetly. He grimaced at his nickname and romped over. He bent over and lifted the bucket filled with water that was to be used to wash away the paint after the ritual was done.

Instead, he poured it over the messy lines and let the pink drip off the sides of the rocks. He snatched the brush from his sister's hand and handed her the bucket. "Refill it while I make a proper one," he grumbled. She stuck her tongue out and dissapeared down the hill with the bucket.

He sighed and removed his cloak, wondering how his sister managed to paint the symbols and not get her own cloak muddied with paint. He felt exposed in the cold air, especially in the tight black shirt he had. He rolled his shoulders back in a chill but dropped to his knees on the rock and smoothly ran the brush over the surface.

When the girl returned with a full bucket the boy had basically finished. She got a chill just _looking_ at him. Tight black shirt and baggy black shorts in this weather? She scowled at her brother's vain attitude, he was always trying to show off. But his gruff features where ones of pride, she had to admit. It was hard not to feel safe in his hug.

Maybe her brother was kind of buff, but that's only because ever since he got cursed he's taken to swimming. She noted the small fins sprouting from the back of his calves in the coating of black scales. She hoped they wouldn't get bigger. She set the bucket down in the grass beside her and strained her eyes to look at the scales, yet refrained from getting closer.

He sat back up and wiped his brow. He looked over his shoulder, giving her a look at the side of his face encased with black scales. He saw her staring. He reached for his cloak and slipped it back on. She snapped out of her trance when he moved and blushed, slightly chagrinned. She daintily stepped on one side of the pentacle and pulled her hood down. "Last look?" she asked. She brought a finger to her cheek as he turned, grateful the only thing the curse did was change her hair and eye color to purple as well as giving her retractable claws. The claws were fun. She brought her hand down and resisted talking to her brother about the curse. He was touchy on the subject, and they both knew so.

He left his hood down and opened his telescope. "Zolo just took over the crow's nest, the other boy...whoah he just jumped," he commented. "Whatever, let's just hurry," she noted.

He closed the telescope and stood on the opposite side of the pentacle. He held up a tag and held it out, his sister doing the same. "Yochi," he started.

"Kaji." she replied.

"Kaze."

"Mizu."

"Raikou."

"Kumori."

"Let it be known!" he shouted, raising his tag higher. "For the height of Heavens and depths of Hell both to see the power of the Bachiatari Sekai at work! I, Kenji,"

"And I, Mizuki, will rain thy enchantment from both sides of the veil to set wrongs adverse! Bring thy souls of the chosen to escape the caves of their origin, and see a new light!"

She turned to the tag to face Kenji. "Zolo!"

He turned his tag. "Sanji!"

"See your new light!" they shouted in unison, and the ring began to glow purple. They felt like they were spinning, but retained focus. The compellment to look up at the cloud forming was strong, but they still kept their focus. He saw his sister shake, and grimaced. She never did pull an actual soul switch before.

There was a snap and the light dissapeared in a flash. Mizuki dropped to her knees as she watched her tag disinigrate in her hand. Kenji's doing the same. He jumped off the rock and looked through the telescope.

Mizuki regained composure and washed the paint away. She set her hood over her face and trotted over.

"They fell, it was a success."

* * *

I gotta go get ready for the test, sorry for shortness. Ta-ta!

R&R

-AGHD


	5. The Switch

I'm back for more. Go me.

I don't own One Piece...-sob-

Zolo: Shut up already with the sobbing!

AD: Its my fanfic and I'll cry if I want to!

Zolo: Why am I here having this conversation? Shouldn't I be in Sanji's body?

AD: Oh yeah...-waves finger-

Zolo: Why the finger?

AD: You think I write my fanfics? Impulse is a powerful thing with a keyboard thing baby.

Zolo: ...You make it up as you go along?

AD: I sleep on it sometimes. Oh wait -waves finger-

Zolo: -poofness-

AD: Muahahaha! Sanji-body take over.

Zolo: I hate you so much.

AD: You know you like Sanji's body. YOU LOOOVEEE IITTT.

Zolo: -sigh- Hoshii-chan owns the Bachiatari Sekai, Kenji(Celia), and Mizuki.

AD: -twirl-

Zolo: AND WITH THE TWIRLING!

* * *

"Get them more blankets, quick!"

"How are they breathing?"

"Faintly."

"I got the blankets, do you need water?"

"Yeah, hurry."

"They can't die, they can't die!"

"Usopp relax, its okay. They'll be okay. Here's a tissue, c'mon."

"How can you say that Nami? The way we found them, I'm surprised they--"

"HOW AM I GOING TO EAT?!"

"Shut **up** Luffy!"

"Whaaaat? I'm serious! Why do you think I made Sanji a part of my crew? I suck at cooking! **NAMI THAT HURT LEAVE MY HEAD ALONE!**"

"Then stop acting like an idiot!"

"Then **YOU** cook my steak like Sanji!"

"Sanji groaned! He's alive!"

"Say what?"

"Ohmygawd really??"

"Zolo too!"

"Thank goodness..."

Zolo's hand went immediately to his head. He felt like his skull just took a bullet. He wondered how the **hell** he was alive. Slowly his vision creeped back and the image of his crewmates filled his vision. He twitched, and they stepped back. This time, he breathed in clean oxygen.

"Agh, what happened?" he mumbled, and he suddenly froze. His crewmates took no notice. "We found you two on the deck and...and you weren't breathing! And your eyes were all white! But then we brought you inside and you both regained consciousness," Chopper piped up, rubbing the wet stains on his fur. To Zolo's ignorance, a neverending flow of tears was erupting from their marksman. "It was a miracle!" Usopp cried.

But Zolo paid no mind. The only words he focused on were his own, the ones he spoke. They didn't sound like his usual gruff tone. It sounded...edgy.

(A/N: In the American series, Sanji had this tone of Brooklyn tongue in his accent, and I thought it suited him perfectly. Though to my dismay it dissapeared, maybe he got hit with something during some episode I missed. Whatever. Please associate a Brooklyn accent with Sanji in this fanfic. If you have no clue how Brooklyn people speak, please locate the nearest English episode of One Piece with Sanji first appearing OR the nearest English Yu-Gi-Oh episode with Joey in it. Thank you, and now back to your story.)

He brought a thumb to his lip. He shuddered at the feel. He looked down at the finger, noticing it's pale color. Where had his tan gone? Where had his thick and chafed thumb gone? He lightly touched his left ear. It was vacant of piercings. He felt dangling hair caress his fingers. Whosever heart he was using now, it had utterly stopped.

He swallowed whatever fears he held, and slowly turned his head sideways, surpressing the questioning tones of his crewmates. What he saw gave him a helluva shock:

He saw himself. Himself was stairing back.

"Sanji?" Nami whispered.

Zolo's lookalike snapped his head to the side immediately. "Yes Nami dear?" he asked. Zolo's jaw dropped to the floor, as did everyone else's. The lookalike's hand flew to his mouth.

_That so wasn't my voice just now..._

Their eyes locked back on eachother. Staring into **their** own bodies. Blink...blink...Usopp hiccuped...blink...Nami coughed...blink...Click!

Zolo swallowed. "Did you...by...any chance...run into a cloaked figure?" he asked, noting the accent in his voice. Sanji nodded. "And you?" he asked, noting the gruff feature in his voice. Zolo nodded. Sanji nodded.

"**Shit.**"

"Oh **Hell no.**"

* * *

"You sure you're okay kid?" he asked. He felt her nod into his shoulder, and he continued into the night air down the hill. The dark green grass rustled beneath his boots as he walked, his sister's feathlike weight making no difference in his stride, beside the angle on his back. But only slightly.

He could feel how tired she was, he was tired too. But he was the older brother, the more experienced mage, he had pulled soul switches dozens of times. His little sister had, well, _not_. It was a tiring process, he was surprised she wasn't unconscious. He yawned, he couldn't wait to get back into bed. He pulled a hand away from his sister's leg long enough to scratch his neck before returning his arm to its original position, holding her on his back.

She pressed her lips together and stared at the spot where he scratched. His neck was visible, for he decided to leave his hood down until they got into the view of the town. She casually rested her hands on his shoulders, and let her left index finger inch over. She softly ran the pad of her finger up and down on the scale and grimaced. Shewas taken aback when he suddenly stopped and sighed. She pulled her finger away.

"If it bothers you so much why are you touching it?" he asked her. She detected no annoyance in his voice to her dismay.

"Because it wasn't fair," he heard her mumble. He smirked. Common response, yet for some reason each time it was uttered he felt like there was more behind it then all the other times she said it. This time was no exceptio.

"So I've been told. Leave it alone Kara, you can't do anything about it."

He silently winced, maybe he shouldn't have said that. Her body sagged into his back and he had to stumble to keep his balance. "I didn't mean it that way," he said. She could hear the remorse in his voice, she only sniffled.

He stood there for a bit, wondering what to say next. Whenever she wasn't hatching crazy schemes, she was practicing spells. But it was the curse that binded her ability as a mage. And for that she had little faith in her abilities, and it didn't help when her father shunned her and denied her the right of heir to the clan.

But that was old news, or as he saw it. She had indeed become stronger, which showed possible weak points in the curse. And after it was pointed out, she rose out of her sulk to find ways to break it.

But she still sulked, no denying it there.

He couldn't help but feel responsible, but she always made him dispell those thoughts. She always reminded him how he had it worse and how show was breaking the curse for him and she was fine and other crap like that.

It was total bull and she knew it. And she thought _she_ was being brave.

Morphing into a fish wasn't the _worst_ experience of his life, he was pretty sure dating that mermaid girl after the curse was given made the top of the list. He had become more fit after his craving for constant swimming drills. His morphing was slow, but he knew eventually his transformation would be complete and he would be denied the right to practice magic. He was a bit scared, but admitting that to his sister would just result in more waterworks. The kind of waterworks he didn't like.

He sighed. "Kara I didn't mean it like that, c'mon. Stop okay? You're...you're doing great," he lied. He knew she wasn't making much progress, but she was trying. After all, she was the one who suggested to help Sanji and Zolo instead of their assigned targets. She helped the common man, and he was proud. But the proudness he held momentarily was soon beat away, the exact moment when she started pounding into his shoulders. It actually kinda hurt this time.

"Noshutupjustshutupokay?!" she shouted, her words slurring together. "I haven't been making any progress and we're always off task and you're turning into a fish and Dad hates me and that mermaid girl was too pushy and demanding and I spilled juice on my pants this morning and I wasted our soul tags and--" she stopped short when she had a hiccuping fit.

He set her down gently and faced her, his hands on her shoulders to keep her balanced. "Stop sulking you brat it won't do anything!" he shouted. Her hiccuping ceased for a moment, then continued as a few more tears fell. He realized _now_ that he sucked at consoling people.

She grumbled something through her hiccups. He growled and squeezed her shoulders. She winced and he softened his grip. He shook his head and pulled her head foward and downwards. She stopped hiccuping in confusion, and soon fell into his arms. Kenji lowered the hand he just used to hit the base of her neck to shift her once more onto his back, but not before adjusting her hood. "Time for bed," he gumbled and pulled his hood over his head, and started back down the hill. What she said left a mark, and no matter what he thought about it wouldn't leave his head.

"I'm not like Dad, I'm not," he grumbled.

* * *

AD: Sad sad sad. Family sadness, sibling sadness. -sniff-

Zolo: Stop whining and put me back in my body.

AD: Thbbbbbbbbbt.

Zolo: My GOD.

AD: Atleast Kara and Kenji had their characters developed.

Zolo: This gonna be some sappy sibling fic? You know I hate those.

AD: Shut up and act like Sanji, you _are_ in his body. He can appreciate when bickering families realize their wrongness.

Zolo: Why are we having this conversation? Shouldn't we be at the ship cursing or whatever?

AD: I just wanted this chapter up so it seems like I'm actually working.

Zolo: Go do your homework.

AD: NU! CHAPTER SIX COMES FIRST! -runs off screaming-

Zolo: She said she'd never be an author to hold conversations with characters. Just review so she can let me out of the basement.


	6. Aftermath

I still don't own One Piece. I still own Mizuki and Kenji and their clan and stuff.

For the record, Sanji doesn't smoke where it airs here. He sucks on lollipops. I think its nicer, atleast in my fanfiction Sanji isn't at risk for lung cancer.

Sanji: YESSSSS!

AD: Hush, stop embarassing Zolo. Don't forget you two switched bodies. San...Sanji get up off the floor. Dammit Sanji!

So yeah, no smoking here. Maybe a baddie villian will smoke, after all that Navy officer did. But I don't think they gave him repeated ciggarettes.

In America, cigarettes on TV are no-nos. Governor Sex Scandals _are_ kiddies.

Sorry, New York joke. Its March 12th, 2008. Let it be known Spitzer resigned. Those pictures where hilarious. ROCK THE VOTE.

-runs-

* * *

_Sleep, sheep, NO, awake, writing, pen, matress, wait DAMMIT. Kara's so lucky she's unconsicious right now or else SHE'D be writing all this crap._

He didn't really think that though. It was either knock his little sister out or have to carry a large rock spewing water though town. He liked the one where she got knocked out, it atleast would give her some sleep. But he did know one thing:

If he didn't get these instructions to Sanji and Zolo tonight, they were probably screwed. He could see it now:

"_You're dead Lovecook._

_Bring it on shitty swordsman. I'll stuff your face with my foot._

_The only thing you're good at stuffing is meat down Luffy's throat. Go cry in your kitchen!_

_No one insults the KITCHEN. **ESPECIALLY** when it holds all my steak knives._

_Like those twigs are gonna stand against my swords._

_They should atleast be able to pop you BIG FAT GREEN HEAD! I'm surprised your stupid swords haven't DONE so already with the girly way YOU SWING THEN AROUND!_

_SAY IT AGAIN CANDY SUCKER! Or should I say--_

_I'M NO GAY MAN YOU SHITHEAD! GET THE FU--"_

Kenji decided to spare himself the details, though he had a pretty good idea of what could happen between those two if he should neglect telling them what was really going on.

He put the finishing touches on his letter, slipped it inside an envelope, and wrapped his cloak around his shoulders. He etched his victim's names onto the envelope in ink and stuffed it in his pocket. He took one small look into Kara's room for reassurance. Her cloak hung gracefully on its rack while she lay huddled under blankets, her purple hair illuminated by the small fire he set in her fireplace. He gently closed the door and left the house. "Amario," he whispered, and let himself hear the clicking noise before dashing off towords the dock.

Kara was safe, it was night, it had gotten a bit warmer, and he was about to teach two bickering friends right from wrong and how to be nice. All he had to do was tie it do their mast and dash off before the sun rose and before Kara woke up. _Some onigiri smothered in honey and a nice glass of lemonade should cheer the kid up._

He smiled to himself and picked up the pace as he ran down the stoned pavement.

Little did Kenji know, his prediction was all too real.

* * *

"SAY IT AGAIN CANDY SUCKER! Or should I say--"

"I'M NO GAY MAN SHITHEAD! GET THE FU--"

"**BOYS!**" Nami screeched, a chair suddenly flipping over with the swiftness she posessed as she stood.

Both men cocked their heads to the navigator, fists just barely nudging each other's cheeks. She stood calmly with arms crossed and chocolate eyes covered by eyelids. But if you knew Nami like her crew did, you would know that the minute you even inhaled she'd burst her lid.

However, she didn't say anything further to them, and quietly sat down once their arms returned to their, err, "_each other's_" sides. She finally opened her eyes and motioned for them to sit down. She stared with force, the other crew mates sitting around the table were still in shock of the events.

"Okay, let's get this straight one more time." Nami said sternly. "While you were running errands you both got into a huge fight, got kicked out of a store, and went your seperate ways. While on your solo trekks you both met up with hooded figures who saw you two fighting. They both knew your names and seemed really suspicious. Then you guys came back and passed out. You guys woke up, and woke up in each other's bodies," she stated clearly, more to herself as if she was the one who really couldn't believe it all. "So who were the hooded figures?"

Zolo scratched his head, cringing at the smooth blonde locks. "Mine was this tiny chick who acted all snickery and proud and stuff," he grumbled. Sanji eyed him. "Is snickery even a word? Marimo you're in MY body. Stop embarassing me!"

"Don't even start! Its bad enough I have some cooking priss inhabiting MINE!" he snarled back. Nami coughed and they both instantly shut up. She wanted to smile at the power she had, but knew she'd lose her authority. "Sanji," she said nudging her head to the blonde. Zolo's body rose a hand. "Sorry," she mumbled.

(A/N: This is gonna be hard to describe in story, so I'm just going to use regular narration. Whenever I write that say, "Zolo swung a sword" or something, just picture Sanji doing it. It shouldn't be _that_ hard I don't think.)

"Mine was kind of tall, and it was a guy. So maybe it was two people in cahoots. Either that or they morphed bodies. If they can switch us I bet they have the ability to change appearances to throw us off," Sanji commented. The crew nodded. Luffy, who seemed deep in thought ever since his cook and first mate awokened, finally slapped the table. "Sanji!" he demanded.

Sanji looked over at his Captain, puzzled by his determined look. Luffy looked him in the eye. "Sanji, does being in Zolo's body affect your movement at all?" he asked. Sanji rolled his shoulders, stretched his arms, and rumbled his legs a bit. "Not from what I see, why?" he asked. Luffy grew a relieved smile. "Good. Now you can still cook for us!" he cried happily. Sanji slapped his face in annoyance.

"First of all, give me my swords," Zolo spoke up. Sanji handed him the swords as if they were toxic. "Okay, now how is this gonna affect battle?" The crew blinked. If Sanji and Zolo were incapable of fighting, it was be a serious problem. "That means I have to work fast...if I can," Chopper mumbled. "What's wrong Chopper?" Usopp asked, placing a gentle hand on the reindeer.

"Well I have absolutely NOTHING to go on for what happened. No potion, no spell, nothing! And for all we know this spell could be killing them right now!" Chopper said, almost breaking into a sob. Nami softened her gaze at the doctor, he only wanted to help.

Zolo sighed and stuffed his hands in his pocket, and was surprised when he heard something.

He twitched his fingers. _Crinkle._

He pulled out a piece of paper along with his hand. "What's this?" he mumbled, more to himself than the crew. He earned the attention of his crew as he smoothed the paper out on the table. A mysterious picture was present.

"That wasn't in my pocket, was it?" Sanji asked in confusion. Zolo turned to him and stuck his hand into the pants. "WHOAH!" Sanji yelled. Zolo only growled as he pulled out another piece of paper and laid it beside the other one on the table.

"Oh," Sanji muttered. "So what do the pictures mean?" Usopp asked, turning to Chopper. Chopper looked closely and shook his head. Nami bit her lip and turned the papers over, and gasped at the writing. Faint purple specks dotted out their names on the paper. "The paper that was in Sanji's pocket," she said, nodding to Zolo, "Had Zolo's name on it, and the other had Sanji on it."

"So those freaks planted them there?" Zolo asked, clearly seething. How could someone slip something as obvious as a piece of paper with such a blatant picture on it into his pocket. He was _Zolo_. Ace fighter. You didn't become a strong swordsman with horrible reflexes and no sense of the area around you. Why did he miss that?

Sanji only stared, and was about to say something when something crashed on the deck.

"**_Shit_**" they heard."What was that?" Nami growled, standing up. Zolo stuck Kuina's sword in his mouth, while Sanji made a face at the man sticking such a dirty thing in a mouth that belonged to him. Well, _once_ belonged to him. "Let's find out." Zolo mumbled through the sword.

* * *

"Yep, this is their ship alright. 'Recognize that flag anywhere," Kenji mumbled to himself. He carefully stepped onto the dock, making sure no one was around or watching. He jumped up and hoisted himself over the edge of the deck. He tip-toed as quietly as he could with his boots on over to the mast. He contorted his face, trying to make sure not to bump into anything. The moon was hidden by clouds, and it was a bit hard to see.

Once he saw the mast he slipped the envelope out of his pocket and a bit of twine. He stepped foward, ready to tie the instructions to the mast when,

"**Shit!**"

Kenji, master swimmer and one of the best mages in his family, just tripped over a freaking crate.

A FREAKING CRATE.

He was so glad his father wasn't here to see that.

He found himself staring up at the sky, arms spread off to the side. He heard the galley door swing open and he cocked his head to the side. _Ah, crap. Well maybe they won't see me..._

_Oh yeah, they so won't see me._

Perfect plan.

He thought that _before_ he noticed the galley light shining on his face.

"Uh...um...hello?" he murmured at the confused faces staring down.

He noticed Zolo's face going pale. _Or Sanji really_, he though, surpressing a smirk.

"That was the guy!"

* * *

AD: -yawn- Alrighty, well I'll end it there. I wanna finish some fanfics that I'm actually _reading_ now.

Zolo: Shouldn't you be finishing up chapter five of Legend of Kosuki? It was the part where we learn that K--

AD: STOP RUINING IT OR I'LL MAKE YOU DIIIIEEEEEE!

Zolo: Pshaw, you think I'm too hot to die.

AD: Dammit.

Zolo: -smirk-

AD: Review peoples. :D


	7. Take it Back

Chapter Sevennnnnn...

I should really stop putting off chapter five for Legend Of Kosuki, oh well.

I like this story better, even though I have this _slight_ obsession with romances with OCs.

I'M NOT GOOD WITH WRITING FLUFF STOP GETTING YOUR HOPES UP IN LEGEND OF KOSUKI.

Maybe a slight crush, but that's it, not until I get reviews telling me to do so.

Then I'll attempt.

-coughs at Kisa-

I don't own One Piece, I own Mizuki and Kenji and their clan and stuff.

I own Legend of Kosuki, as per mentioned in the beginning drabbles of this geeky girl author who should really try to do something more constructive than sitting in her bed with a laptop. Please give it a read as I'm at loss for inspiration, reviewers get virtual cookies.

* * *

"Hey babe, you're good at knot tying, huh?" he chuckled.

And not a second after he said that he could've sworn his cheek turned as bright red as her hair. And that was the scale side.

He gave a sheepish grin at Nami who huffed and strode into the galley, leaving the teenage boy tied to the mast, secretly ogling her hips as she left. He sighed as she left, and put a finger to the envelope in his pocket, just to make sure it hadn't slipped during the struggle.

The struggle that involved a very angry Sanji in a tanned body restling him to the mast.

The navigator girl had to _literally_ pry him off the intruder so he wouldn't be suffocated before he explained his reasoning for sneaking onto the ship. Another feature he cosidered hot.

Hey, you can't blame a guy wanting a girl aftering nearly losing his life from a **very** demanding mermaid. Nami seemed like the perfect rebound.

A breeze blew his cloak limply off his shoulders, now hanging lifelessly somewhat behind his back. He rolled his shoulders back, which didn't go that far, in a chill.

A poor teenage boy of seventeen who was part fishin a skimpy chest-hugging black shirt left to be tied to a mast by an extremely hot girl. He sighed in his image, he wasn't getting Nami anytime soon.

Seconds turned to minutes. Minutes turned to hours. Hours turned into more hours. God HOW long was he gonna be left tied up on the deck!?

As if on cue heheard mumbling anf muffled angry shouts from the galley. He sighed once more.

"Five...four...three...two"

The door burst open and the crew flooded out only to gather around the mast. He smiled. "Huh, I didn't even count one. I guess you're not that predictable. All tho-o-ugh," he chuckled in a sing-song voice and nodded his head to Sanji and Zolo.

He was ever so kindly rewarded with a swift smack to the face. **Damn** that girl could hit!

Oh, whoops, he said that out loud. He suddenly found Zolo and Sanji invading his personal space.

"Change us back," they growled in unison. He bit his lip, he had wished to deliver the instructions in a more dramatic and sneaky manner. Not tied to their mast. So much for that.

Oh yeah; A FREAKING CRATE.

"I...well...I can't," he admitted, almost scared to. He flinched at the sudden air being exhaled through their noses hitting his face. Hot air, as to be expected. They were pissed, but who could blame them?

"I mean, yeah I was the one who did it but reversing it isn't as easy as actually performing it, ya know?" he tried to explain, _really, really, really_ wanting to keep his face intact.

"No I **don't** know. I suggest you explain it in the next ten seconds," Zolo hissed. By now the paper in Kenji's pocket had long been forgotten.

"It kinda involves the reason _why_ you got switched, which I believe we agreed on telling you guys when we first met and stuff," he suddenly blurted out. Sanji blinked and looked upwards, as if in thought. Zolo back away and crossed his arms in deep thought, somewhat irked with the strands of hair suddenly tickling his forehead.

_"You should both learn to hold your tempers, especially in public places"_

_"Temper is a tricky little thing, is it not Sanji?"_

Oh. **That**.

They snapped out of their trances and shot death glares at their new captive. "I thought I told that little **bitch** to mind her own buisness," Zolo grunted.

Kenji pressed his lips. Zolo had kind of, _mumbled_, that last sentence. He was trying to replay it back in his head.

That process finished much quicker than he anticipated.

"**Take it back**," the boy suddenly snarled, kicking his unbounded legs at the crew. Chopper ducked behind Usopp at the sudden 180 in personality, who in return hid behind the reindeer. After a few more they decided to just hold eachother. Zolo lifted an eyebrow and Sanji seemed interested, and _somewhatpeeved_ that a lowly sword-swinging drunk got the girl to encounter him.

"BASTARD. You heard me I **said take it **back," he growled once more, flailing his legs and struggling his arms against his bindings. Zolo took his shot. "What? She yer girlfriend or something? I pity you man, what a dipsh--"

It seemed Zolo had taken a step foward to the boy out of spite, or maybe it was ego. Or maybe he just wanted to plainly get in the kid's face. Whatever reason made him do it, Zolo cursed that reason to hell. The boy's swift kick to his groin made him reconsider insulting the girl. He collapsed to the ground, silently gasping in breaths.

"OI I KINDA WANT TO HAVE KIDS SOME DAY!" Sanji howled lightly dancing on his feet in a worried manner. If someone should happen onto the scene, both men would have looked like total pansies.

Onea_ dancing_ pansy. Be glad he wasn't wearing the swords or you could've seriously drawn a mortifying conclusion.

"Talk shit about her again and I **swear** I'll kill you," he growled. Zolo looked up at him with one eye, trying to stare him down. Kinda hard to do clutching your crotch on the ground, but he was Zolo, so he tried.

But even Zolo had to admit, the guy didn't look like he was kidding.

* * *

She was warm. Not the unbearable kind of warm like when you're just sitting there in your house in the Summer. She was the comfy kind of warm, the kind of warm you get when you're wrapped in a blanket and a hug at the same time while it pours rain from the heavens outside the window.

She groggily forced her eyelids to recede to get a glimpse of her surroundings. She saw the brown musty ceiling being bathed in a soft orange glow. She rose to a sitting position, immediately regretting it and pushing both hands to her head, trying to ease the pain. The events in the hills suddenly flooded back and played through her mind, ending with her brother forcefully hitting the base of her neck.

When the pain had somewhat subsided she absorbed more of her surroundings. A faint blue glow outlined her window and a fire was crackling in her fireplace. A small note resided on her nightstand beside the head of her bed.

"_Be back in a bit kid, go to bed._

_-Celia"_

She gave a soft smile as he signed his alias. Her smile morphed into a snicker as she recalled her brother being sent on a mission that required him to use a different name.

Not to mention a different gender. Oh how she _refused_ to let him live that down.

Her snicker stopped as more events flooded back. She grasped a stoic face, knowing he went to go deliver the reversement instructions. But when had he left?

She pushed her violet hair behind her ears, nails clinking against the half-tube piercing on both ears. The clock read forty past midnight. She knew that they left to prepare for the ritual at eleven, and the entire ordeal was pretty much a half hour. They spent ten minutes walking before she was knocked cold. Knowing her brother's stealth and speed, she estimated a good fifteen minutes before returning home.

(A/N: Think Ayumu Narumi's ear piercing.)

The instructions shouldn't have been too elaborate, it wasn't hard to grasp the actual _concept_ of how to return to your body after a soul switch. He was a naturally fast writer to begin with. She picked up the note he left and brought a finger to where he had written. She firmly slid her finger over the words and examined her fingertip.

Clean. The pen her brother used always left blotches that smeared to the touch. It wouldn't have dried so soon.

_He should've been back by now._

She didn't give it a second thought. She pulled a ponytail holder from her nightstand drawer and pulled her hair back, leaving a few strands to cup her face. Amythest eyes stared hazily at the floor as she slipped out of her nightgown and into a pair of leggings, maroon skirt, and black tanktop. She silently thanked her brother for leaving her bra and panties on, though she wouldn't have minded if he had completely changed her for bed. She was his sister, he was her brother. Family was family.

But now was not the time to think about that. She slipped her cloak on and pulled the hood over her head. She marched to the front door and jerked the knob.

No dice. She noticed the same faint blue outline. If she wasn't so worried about her brother, she would have smiled at the kindness of casting a protection spell.

She stood back and flicked her finger at the door. "Kerosou!" she shouted firmly. The blue dissapeared and she dashed out the door, not bothering to lock it behind her.

(A/N: Think Von Karma fingersnap.)

Her boots clunked against the stoned pavement as she dashed towords the dock, stoic face still lingering.

_Please be okay._

* * *

"So you switched us to teach us a damn lesson?" Zolo growled, having regained composure.

The boy remained silent still, not having answered any questions since finally showing spine after Zolo talked trash about Mizuki. He offered a death glare instead.

Chopper timidly stepped foward, attempting to ease the tension.

"Please sir, they just want their bodies back. I think its very kind of you to want to help, but its really a private matter. Please, I beg you to switch them back and we'll let you go safely!" he explained, holding up his hooves as a peace offering to the bound teenager. He huffed but his glare softened at the sight of a furry boy trying to calm things down.

"Then make him take it back," he repeated firmly. Zolo rose from his sitting position and stepped foward, silently challenging him to a stare off.

It went on for a few seconds, before the silence was broken by Sanji. "You're gonna risk getting beaten until you blurt information just because he insulted your girlfriend?" Sanji asked. He thought it was actually kind of noble. He shot Nami a smile. She froze and blushed, but seemed to come to some sort of conclusion and rolled her eyes.

(A/N: OoooooOOoooo I hinted ZoNa fluuuUuuufffffFFFfff...-cough- I'll stop interrupting)

The boy closed his eyes, obviously trying to hold himself back. "I'd glady die for my sister bastard. No one gets away with talking shit about her. My father didn't and you surely won't," he stated firmly, resisting the urge to cringe as he mentioned his father's name.

The crew raised an eyebrow, but Zolo had lost his patience. He stepped foward and spat in the boy's face. "You **will** tell us how to get back into our bodies. I don't care how much I have to **scream** to the world about how your puny sister is a **bitch** or whatever," he snarled. The boy's eyes shot open and swiftly delivered another kick to Zolo, who stepped aside just in time.

He drew a sword and sliced the ropes, only to use the hilt to slam the boy to the deck. He sheathed it and let his new target twitch on the deck.

He hovered his foot over the back, then suddenly hollered in pain. The crew gasped as Zolo was flung backwards into the galley, Sanji's jaw becoming slack as his body was tossed like a rag doll.

"Get away from Kenji bastards." a voice shouted firmly.

Usopp's eye drifted down to Kenji who suddenly twitched.

"**Shit** go home kid..." he heard him mumble.

* * *

So...tired...

I really over use the S-Curse in this story, mainly because if I were to abuse the F curse I'd have to make this an M story.

I'd feel like I'd be turning away the few people who actually might read my story. Oh well, I'll try to tone it down a bit. But for now, I'm pretty tired.

Night all, R&R!


	8. Maybe Next Chapter

Big delay, ohemgee.

But since I'm home from camp with a stomach virus I decided to write some more.

Action scenes aren't my strong point. Hope I don't mess up.

**STILL** don't own the show. God.

* * *

"Did someone post a memo declaring some party to be help on MY ship?!" Luffy cried. He turned to see Zolo recovering from whatever the hell hit him, and trudged foward. "Its that girl I met up with before, that punk's sister," he mumbled. Mizuki shook some hair from her face. "Give him back!" she yelled. The crew remained still and silent, pissing her off further. She pulled back a fist, which soon began to be the center of a whorl of blue crackling light. Chopper and Usopp gasped. Her eyes scanned the members until she could make out her brother's form on the deck floor. She charged at them, and threw her fist foward, ready to knock down Sanji when

**Snap.**

Mizuki sucked in a breath. It didn't hurt yet, and that could only mean it was going to hurt like hell in a bit. Her hand was limp, and only a few centimeters away was the back end of Kuina. She stared down at her hand, silently waiting for the pain to come. Zolo simply gave her an intense glare, somewhat on edge, waiting for her next move.

"Get the **fuck** away from my sister." Zolo heard. He turned around and for the umpteenth time today, he was knocked back by a vicious force. Mizuki felt herself being lifted and thrown backwords, only to find her brother clutching her hand with a water-encased one. She could see the bruises forming. She met his gaze, and instantly regretted it.

"You're an idiot, you know that? I left you a note Mizuki, a note CLEAR AS DAY and you _still_ came here!" he snarled. She broke her hand from his grip, not bothering to wipe it dry. The pain was still dormat, and she decided to use it to her advantage. "They probably would've beaten you to a pulp if I hadn't come, don't deny it!" she spat back. He grimaced and rose from his kneeling position, noticing a very unhappy swordsman approaching. Kenji held up a warning finger, which was ignored.

Mizuki took a few steps back, smirking. Zolo charged foward, unsheathing a sword as he did so. Kenji held his hand out towords the sea and then charged back. The two passed eachother by two feet and held still. The crew held still, almost unable to bear the tension.

Save Usopp, who gave a small squeal.

Kenji pivoted on his heel to face Zolo, who was still hunched foward with his sword pointing towords the hull of the ship. "You gonna tell us how to switch back?" he calmly asked, not lifting his gaze to meet the boy. "Not after touching my sister."

Zolo nodded. "Its on?" he asked. Mizuki stepped foward, in clear need of some revenge, her canines magically growing in length and sparkling in the moonlight.

"Hell yeah."

* * *

All differences in speach, personalities, and let's not forget, _bodies_, were forgotten in the instant. The crew seemed to scatter in different directions. Yet it seemed that only two matches were occuring, between the four people who were mainly angered.

Sanji strode head first at Mizuki, arm pulled back, rearing for flesh. Mizuki took her own fighting stance, hands flat facing out, one slightly behind in length. She braced herself. Sanji pushed off on his back foot and pushed his fist foward. She caught the fist as well as twelve others, all while failing to throw her own strikes. When she finally had pushed Sanji back to give off some distance did she finally leave a blow to the stomach, sending him back farther. Sanji rolled on the deck before wobbly hopping to his feet.

Mizuki stared intently.

_Has he not realized...?_

Sanji grit his teeth and charged foward once more, and to his opponent's surprise, jumped into a nose dive. He landed on his hands, one palm twisted to the side. He seperated legs into a line and swung foward.

That's when he finally got the picture.

He wasn't **really** Sanji right now.

He felt himself fall foward, then heard a crack. And a scream.

He identified all three sounds to be from him. Mizuki's foot had still lodged itself on his back, and slowly he felt himself arch back. But how?

It made no difference when he walked, and he had executed every single punch perfectly. And it was nothing new that Zolo was more fit than most men of twenty years. You had to be if you could fought like him.

But had he every really witnessed Zolo doing a handstand? It might have been possible, and knowling the overbearing lunk he probably did push-ups on handstands.

But wether Zolo was truly _graceful_ in that position remained unknown to him. Why hadn't he thought of this before?

Suddenly the foot lodged in his back lifted after what seemed like an enternity, yet he noticed his back retained its new shape. He felt tiny jolts of static pulsing through him, and he couldn't tell if it was some kind of hex she performed just his pain. Either way all previous energy he possesed had delpleated.

_This isn't allowed to happen. Not now._

He knew that. He knew that the minute he step foot on the ship and became part of the crew, he had a duty to be the best he could be. Everyone did. Luffy would not find One Piece, Zolo not a king swordsman, Nami (ohhhhhhhh _Nami_) would never make a world map, Chopper never the world's best doctor, and Usopp would never prove his father proud, not to mention some dame he had obviously met up with before he joined he had to go profess love to or whatever.

But what about him? And his dream? He hadn't thought of it much, with being busy cooking and beating people up. Would he ever reach East Blue? Ever?

And was this all occuring to him now? He had been in painful positions many a time before (a certain gung-ho kung-fu fish came to mind).

Maybe it was because he had regained strength, or because he had realized why his life suddenly flashed before his eyes.

He was stuck in his crewmate's body and unless he won this fight, it would stay so.

Kissing his dream good-bye was not on the menu. He slowly pushed himself up, feeling splinters of wood fall from random places. Bloody trickled from a cut on his arm, but he stood. He gently rubbed his face and turned to face Mizuki, who was standing in confusion.

There was a glint in his eye, and it wasn't about to die down soon. They both charged at eachother.

* * *

While Zolo didn't have the same spiritual experience Sanji did, Zolo did come to a very important conclusion:

He was kinda screwed right now.

He couldn't feel his legs or his left arm. Even moving his eyes across the deck, confirming the locations where Kenji had scattered his swords, caused him pain. Kenji of course stood proudly fifteen feet away, flashing a sick grin that Zolo wanted to wipe off.

But he couldn't, and that was the cherry to this crappy sundae.

He cringed and looked over to his left palm. Blood trickled in various places, and he could only move his middle thumb and ring finger.

He looked back over to where the object of his hatred was, only to see he was no longer there. What he saw worried him.

His throat was too dry to protest her actions, to cry out for Luffy's aid, to order Usopp to throw some kind of bomb or to have Chopper change form.

He could still see the bandage on her ankle.

"You idiot bastard! You give us the cure or antidote or whatever to fix them. **Now**," Nami barked, pushing her clima-tact up against Kenji's wrist. He widthrew the weapon and pivoted on her ankle, resisting the pain long enough to shove the end of the staff in Kenji's gut. He doubled over and she shoved her palm against his back.

He didn't fall so easily.

He ducked down, avoiding her hand, and swept his foot against her bad ankle. She quickly buckled her knees and landed in his arms.

Another sick grin. "Sorry babe," he chuckled, "I'm not afraid to hit girls."

"What a coincidence. Neither. Am. I."

Nami suddenly found herself falling into another pair of arms. Ones that felt foreign and familiar all at once.

"Zolo!" she gasped. She looked up at her savior, blonde hair waving in the wind. In his good arm was Kuina, her sheath discarded where it once rested.

Kenji wheezed and stood up once more. "Alright. Guess we get to have a nice flashback of me kicking your ass ag--"

He was suddenly pulled away by a flash over tan, leaving him and Nami both extremely confused. She coughed and stood by herself, gently walking over to where Luffy stood, Mizuki and Kenji bounded by rubery arms.

Zolo followed her, Sanji approached, and Usopp and Chopper came out from their hiding place in the grove.

"Luffy," Nami began softly, rubbing the side of his head with her thumb.

"OWWWWWW!"

"Why did you **NOT** do that before?!" she screamed.

"Uhh...'cuz I was busy Nami..." he stuttered. Nami crossed her arms.

"**OWWW**!!"

"This wouldn't have happened if you had just went back to bed like I told you to."

* * *

"And if I had you'd be in the same exact position you are in now."

"_Noooo_. If you hadn't pulled your 'Ohemgee let's like, totally have a battle!' stunt I would've burned the ropes and made a run for it."

"You keep telling yourself that Celia."

"For the **last** time I'm not freaking--"

"Um...when are they gonna stop fighting and realize they're out captives?"

Usopp scratched his chin. "Maybe next chapter they will."

* * *

Did it suck? Did it rock? Is it too salty? Too much ketchup?

Lemme know.

Oh and I'll be reading over the chapters and fixing name mistakes. Mizuki was originally to be named Kara, so I might've put that down accidentally.

-AGHD


End file.
